TO:

One Book, One Campus Committee

FROM:

Martin del Hierro, ENC 3250 Professional Writing Student

DATE:

October 1, 2015

SUBJECT:

Book Recommendations for the One Book, One Campus Committee

This is in response to your request for recommendations of at least three books to be read by all
first year students at Florida Gulf Coast University starting during the fall 2016 semester.
As requested, I researched Universities One Book, One Campus (OBOC) programs and found
three books. The three Universities whose OBOC programs I researched are Washington
University in St. Louis, Marquette University, and Appalachian State University. The three books
I am recommending are Citizen: An American Lyric by Claudia Rankine; March: Book One by
John Lewis, Andrew Aydin, and Nate Powell; and A Hope in the Unseen: An American Odyssey
from the Inner City to the Ivy League by Ron Suskind. Following is a table with the three books
information.

Book

Author(s)

Publisher

ISBN

Cost

Amount of
Pages

Citizen: An
American
Lyric

Claudia
Rankine

Graywolf
Press,
October 7,
2014

ISBN-10:
1555976905

$11.22

160 Pages

John Lewis,
Andrew
Aydin, Nate
Powell

Top Shelf
Productions,
First Edition
(August 13,
2013)

ISBN-10:
1603093001

$8.49

128 Pages

Ron Suskind

Broadway
Books;
Reprint

ISBN-10:
0767901266

$11.83

373 Pages

March: Book
One

A Hope in the
Unseen: An
American

ISBN-13:
9781555976903

ISBN-13:
9781603093002

ISBN-

Odyssey from
the Inner City
to the Ivy
League

edition
(May 4,
1999)

One Book, One Campus Committee

13:9780767901260

October 1, 2015

Following are the descriptions of each book and why each is an appropriate pick for the OBOC
program as well as how each fits in with FGCUs mission and guiding principles.
Book One
Citizen: An American Lyric by Claudia Rankine is a book that uses essay, poetry, cultural
criticism, and visual images to capture what it means to be an American citizen in todays socalled post-racial society. In many places where one finds people interacting, there is racist
communication; its in the media, in the supermarkets, in tennis courts, etc. Rankine addresses
how people are affected by the racist communication of today.
This book is an appropriate pick for FGCUs OBOC program because it will provide the basis
for a discussion of how the society we live in today affects us through the way in which people
communicate with each other and perceive one another. Furthermore, this book fits in with
FGCUs mission and guiding principles in that it promotes the goal of embracing diversity by
contributing to the awareness of the power of words and modes of thinking, which may
contribute to better communication among people of diverse cultures, races, ethnicities, and
backgrounds. FGCU students will relate to the theme of diversity because FGCU contains people
from diverse backgrounds that interact with each other often; whether its in classrooms or on
campus.
Book Two
March: Book One is a recounting of John Lewis struggles for civil and human rights. It is also a
reflection on how far weve come since the days of segregation.
March: Book One is a good pick for FGCUs OBOC program because it will take the student
body which for the most part wasnt born during the times when African Americans were
segregated, back in time to experience the civil rights movement through the mind of John Lewis
who experienced it in the flesh. This book will tie in well with FGCUs guiding principle of
engaging multiplicity and difference with tolerance and equity, in that it is a retelling of events

that occurred when difference and multiplicity was not usually received with tolerance and
equity. Students will be able to imagine the struggle brought about by the lack of respect for
other human beings and ponder on the importance of treating all people with dignity. March:
Book One will be a great learning tool for FGCU students.
Book three
A Hope in the Unseen: An American Odyssey from the Inner City to the Ivy League is a tale about
Cedric Jennings, a high school student who strives for success while studying at a crime-infested
school in Washington, D.C., in which anyone who stands out becomes a target of aggression.
After being accepted into Brown Universityan Ivy League schoolCedric finds himself in a
struggle of trying to fit in among people who did not grow up in such a dangerous
One Campus, One Book Committee

October 1, 2015

place as he did. Cedric looks to his faith, determination, and intelligence to keep hopes alive of
finding the acceptance and reward he works each day to envision.
A Hope in the Unseen: An American Odyssey from the Inner City to the Ivy League is a great
choice for FGCUs OBOC program because it will tie in with FGCUs guiding principle of
student success. It is a book centered on the hard work and determination of a student who had
many obstacles set in his path. In order for one to succeed, one must work hard and stay
determined. Furthermore, FGCU students will identify with Cedric because they too are working
toward a very important goal: achieving a University degree. A Hope in the Unseen: An
American Odyssey from the Inner City to the Ivy League will serve as a basis on which to
converse about the tough road toward success, and the awaiting glory at the end of that road.
I enjoyed researching for FGCUs OBOC program.
Please let me know what you think of my suggestions.